The timing of 12 days of pre-Christmas closures for work on a town's bridge has been criticised, with claims it will deal businesses a devastating blow in the festive period.
Norfolk County Council has been attacked for its decision to shut Haven Bridge in Great Yarmouth to vehicles for almost two weeks of £118,000 repairs and maintenance from Monday (December 1).
A county councillor who represents the town has branded the timing of the closure - in the weeks before Christmas, when shops are likely to busy - as "absolutely nonsensical".
Mike Smith-Clare, Labour county councillor for Yarmouth Nelson and Southtown, said the town was being placed in an "unnecessary lockdown".
He said: "The closure of Haven Bridge at this time of year and the impact it will have on pre-Christmas trade and travel seems absolutely nonsensical.
"It will cause massive upheaval to our town, which prolongs what feels like to be the continual dismal disruption from roadworks, cycle lane additions and utility improvements.
"With all of these being arranged for the same time it really feels as though we’re being placed in an unnecessary lockdown."
It comes at a time of growing concern about the cumulative impact of a number of roadworks projects going on around the county, including on the A47 linking Norwich and Great Yarmouth.
Motorists say the county is becoming increasingly gridlocked and have said more co-ordination between projects and the quicker removal of restrictions once works finish could speed up traffic once more.
The county council recently announced a pause on roadworks in Norwich city centre to try to ease pressure on roads there during the festive period.
But Conservative-run County Hall defended the timing of the closure on the bridge, which is almost a hundred years old, saying it was important to avoid Yarmouth's busy summer season.
Graham Plant, cabinet member for highways, transport and infrastructure and county councillor for Gorleston St Andrews, said: "Carrying out these works early in December also means we’re avoiding the busy summer season which is so crucial to the town’s economy and also avoids the two weeks directly before Christmas."
Mr Plant had said the availability of the town's new Herring Bridge meant the closure of Haven Bridge did not cause the same level of disruption it would have done before that £121m alternative crossing opened.
A council spokesman added: "We avoid planned works on the busiest parts of the network at key times, which is Christmas in Norwich and during the summer peak in Great Yarmouth."
The Haven Bridge work will see all barriers replaced, repairs to the paths and parapet fencing, replacement of all timber blocks on the bridge deck and system upgrades.
Pedestrians will still have access to the bridge, except on December 11 and 10 when both paths will be closed for test lifts.
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